Review of Lazarus

My review will be shorter than usual. I'll just touch briefly on a few points which, unfortunately, left me with a bitter taste. I had high expectations of Lazarus. Firstly, because it is directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, who is responsible for such outstanding works as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Terror in Resonance - series with a strong identity, both musically and narratively. And because, with MAPPA in charge of animation, we could expect a real visual success. And in a sense, Lazarus delivers on its promises. The animation is superb, as you'd expect. The fights are fluidly choreographed, the music is, once again, highly polished, andthe universe is full of appealing visual ideas. The intriguing opening story makes you want to see what happens next.

But beyond these surface qualities, I found the series frustrating. Rich in appearance, but poor in depth.

The world presented doesn't benefit from any real development. It remains an aesthetic but hollow setting. As for the plot, it seems to vacillate between several directions, without ever fully exploring any of them. The characters, though endearing on paper, lack depth. Their pasts are barely hinted at, and their character traits are barely asserted.

I had the unpleasant impression of being faced with a calibrated, almost banal production - a visually effective series, but without any real soul. And that, I think, is what bothered me most: not finding that passion, that human touch that Watanabe used to bring to his stories.

Certain elements of the story are rushed through, or even abandoned along the way. As for the ending... I found it rushed and frankly disappointing (I won't say anything about it here, so as not to spoil what little pleasure remains).

The comparison with Cowboy Bebop is obvious. *Lazarus* seems to want to recapture the alchemy of Cowboy Bebop - in the atmosphere, the music, the universe, and even through certain characters. But the result often sounds too much like a copycat, lacking the sincerity, authenticity and breath of the original work. Axel, in particular, is reminiscent of Spike right down to his body language... without ever having the same depth.

I wouldn't advise against Lazarus outright. Some may find it to their liking. But if you're new to Watanabe, I'd encourage you to turn to his previous works, which are much richer, more unique and more memorable.